"Familiar Ground" & "Wish Me Away" Win Los Angeles Film Festival

Stéphane Lafleur's "Familiar Ground" won the Narrative Film Competition during an awards ceremony at the Los Angeles Film Festival, while Beverly Kopf and Bobbie Birleffi's "Wish Me Away" took Best Documentary at the awards brunch, which took place at CHAYA Downtown and co-hosted by Allison Janney and John C. Reilly. Both awards include a $15,000 cash prize.

Stéphane Lafleur's "Familiar Ground" won the Narrative Film Competition during an awards ceremony at the Los Angeles Film Festival, while Beverly Kopf and Bobbie Birleffi's "Wish Me Away" took Best Documentary at the awards brunch, which took place at CHAYA Downtown and co-hosted by Allison Janney and John C. Reilly. Both awards include a $15,000 cash prize.

Also taking home prizes were actors Amber Sealey, Kent Osborne, Amanda Street, and Gabriel Diamond for their performances in Amber Sealey's "How to Cheat," collectively receiving Best Performance. The award for Best Narrative Short Film went to Saba Riazi's "The Wind Is Blowing on My Street," while short Best Documentary went to Susan Koenen's "I Am a Girl!" Mikey Please's "The Eagleman Stag" won the award for Best Animated short film.

In Audience Awards, Best Narrative Feature went to Joe Cornish's "Attack the Block," while Best Documentary went to Michael Rapaport's "Beats, Rhymes & Life: The Travels of a Tribe Called Quest." Asif Kapadia’s Senna won the Audience Award for Best International Feature.

The Audience Award for Best Short Film went to "Blind Date," directed by Joe Rosen. "Can't Shake This Feeling," directed by The General Assembly's Adam Littke, Ryan McNeill, Adam Willis won the Audience Award for Best Music Video for Grum.

"It was such a rich year in competition films, so our juries had really tough choices to make," commented Artistic Director David Ansen in a statement. "The winning films are the cream of a particularly delicious crop, and we're delighted that they reflect the festival's dedication to movies from all over the world."

"David, Doug and the team continue to raise the bar with the quality of our programming slate," said Festival Director Rebecca Yeldham in a statement. "We're enormously proud to host such an exceptional and diverse group of films and filmmakers at this year's festival, and to have introduced audiences to their wonderful work."

The Los Angeles Film Festival opened June 16 with the world premiere of Richard Linklater’s "Bernie" and closes Sunday with the world premiere of FilmDistrict’s "Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark," directed by Troy Nixey. Gala Screenings included the North American premiere of "Drive," directed by Nicolas Winding Refn and the world premiere of Chris Weitz's "A Better Life." Guillermo del Toro was this year's "Guest Director."

The list of 2011 Los Angeles Film festival winners with credits and descriptions provided by the festival:

Best Performance in the Narrative Competition: Amber Sealey, Kent Osborne, Amanda Street and Gabriel Diamond in Amber Sealey's "How to Cheat"An L.A. couple's struggle to get pregnant sets off the husband's wandering eye in this comedy that reveals marriage to be as funny as it is heartbreaking.

Audience Award for Best Narrative Feature: "Attack the Block," directed by Joe CornishProducers: Nira Park, James WilsonCast: Jodie Whittaker, John Boyega, Alex Email, Franz Drameh, Leeon Jones, Simon Howard, Luke Treadaway, Jumayn Hunter, Nick FrostFrom the producers of Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz, Attack the Block follows a gang of tough inner-city kids who defend their turf against an invasion of savage alien creatures, turning a South London apartment complex into an extraterrestrial warzone.

Audience Award for Best International Feature: "Senna," directed by Asif KapadiaProducers: James Gay-Rees, Tim Bevan, Eric FellnerA high-octane look at the most exciting driver to ever race Formula One — Brazil’s Aryton Senna — this edge of your seat documentary explores the politics, rivalries and glamour of a sport that leaves no room for error.

Best Narrative Short Film: "The Wind Is Blowing on My Street" by Saba RiaziProducer: Mohammad HoseseniCast: Rahman Houshyar, Sajjad Salehivand, Forough Bonakder, Ashraf AbolfazlianA young girl in Tehran is accidentally locked out of her home with no scarf on her head.

Best Documentary Short Film: "I Am a Girl!" by Susan KoenenJoppe dreams of love, marriage and children. Being born a boy only complicates things slightly.

Best Animated Short Film: "The Eagleman Stag" by Mike PleaseProducer: Royal College of ArtCast: David Cann, Tony GuilfoyleThis unique stop-motion animated film depicts a man’s haunting obsession with the passage of time and his unorthodox relationship with a beetle.